The image is haunting. A young woman, full of hope, steps off a train in a bustling station only to have her entire future erased in a single, violent second. It sounds like a horror movie plot, but for Preeti Rathi, it was a gruesome reality that unfolded at Mumbai’s Bandra Terminus. People often search for "the girl set on fire on train" because the sheer brutality of the 2013 acid attack remains one of India’s most chilling examples of obsession turned deadly.
Preeti wasn't just a headline. She was a 23-year-old nurse from Delhi. She had just landed a prestigious job as a nursing lieutenant at the INHS Asvini Navy hospital in Colaba. Imagine the pride her family felt. She had studied hard, beaten the odds, and was ready to start a life of service in a new city. But as she stepped onto the platform on May 2, 2013, a masked man approached her. He didn't rob her. He threw sulfuric acid.
What Really Happened to Preeti Rathi at Bandra Terminus
The attack was lightning fast. Preeti had traveled from Delhi on the Garib Rath Express with her father, aunt, and uncle. They were excited. Then, the splash. The acid didn't just burn her skin; she accidentally swallowed some of it. It caused catastrophic internal injuries to her throat and lungs.
For 30 agonizing days, Preeti fought. She was treated at Masina Hospital and later shifted to Bombay Hospital. She couldn't speak. She had to communicate by writing on slips of paper. One of those notes asked her father if she would ever be okay. She never got the chance to find out. On June 1, 2013, Preeti Rathi passed away due to multiple organ failure.
The investigation was a mess initially. The police actually arrested the wrong person first—a neighbor of Preeti’s named Pawan Gahlon. He spent weeks in jail before the Railway Crime Branch realized they had the wrong guy. It turned out the real monster lived right next door to her in Delhi.
The Killer Next Door: Ankur Panwar’s Deadly Obsession
If you're wondering why someone would do this, the answer is as pathetic as it is tragic. The killer was Ankur Panwar, a 23-year-old hotel management graduate. He was Preeti’s neighbor in the Bhakra Beas Management Board colony in Delhi.
📖 Related: Fire in Idyllwild California: What Most People Get Wrong
Panwar was fueled by a toxic mix of jealousy and rejection. His family used to compare him to Preeti. "Why can't you be successful like her?" they would ask. He had also reportedly proposed marriage to her, and she had turned him down. To Panwar, Preeti’s success was an insult to his own failure.
He followed her all the way from Delhi to Mumbai on the same train, hiding in another coach. He wore a handkerchief over his face, threw the acid, and hopped back on a train to Delhi. He thought he’d gotten away with it. He even attended her funeral.
The breakthrough came when the police started looking at the call records and the specific type of acid used. Panwar had purchased the acid from a shop in Delhi, claiming he needed it to clean some old batteries. In 2016, a special Women’s Court sentenced Ankur Panwar to death. It was a landmark moment. This was the first time a convict in an acid attack case was awarded the death penalty in India.
Why the Preeti Rathi Case Changed Everything
The legal fallout of this case was massive. Before Preeti, acid attacks were often treated with less urgency than they deserved. Her death forced the Indian legal system to look at acid not just as a weapon of injury, but as a weapon of murder.
Justice A.S. Shelar, who presided over the case, noted that the attack was premeditated and designed to destroy her career and beauty. The Bombay High Court eventually commuted Panwar’s death sentence to life imprisonment in 2019, but the precedent remained. The case highlighted the terrifying ease with which someone could purchase concentrated acid in India.
👉 See also: Who Is More Likely to Win the Election 2024: What Most People Get Wrong
The Aftermath and the "Laxmi" Connection
While Preeti’s story ended in tragedy, it bolstered the movement led by other survivors like Laxmi Agarwal. It led to stricter regulations on the sale of acid, though honestly, if you go to a local hardware store in many parts of the world today, you can still find corrosive chemicals far too easily.
Misconceptions About the Case
People often confuse this case with other train incidents. Some think it was a random act of terrorism. It wasn't. It was "interpersonal violence"—a clinical term for a neighbor's psychotic grudge.
Another common mistake is the belief that she died instantly. She didn't. She spent a month in a living nightmare, unable to eat or drink. Her father, Amar Singh Rathi, became a tireless advocate for justice, refusing to let the police slack off when they hit dead ends.
The Medical Reality of Acid Attacks
When we talk about "the girl set on fire," the term "fire" is often used metaphorically for the chemical burns. Acid doesn't just burn the surface. Sulfuric acid, which Panwar used, dehydrates the skin and underlying tissue so rapidly that it generates intense heat. It literally melts the flesh. Because Preeti inhaled the fumes and swallowed the liquid, her respiratory tract was charred.
Lessons in Personal Safety and Justice
What can we actually learn from something so senseless? It’s a hard question.
✨ Don't miss: Air Pollution Index Delhi: What Most People Get Wrong
First, the role of "neighborhood watch" is more than just looking for burglars. It’s about noticing toxic behavior. Panwar had been showing signs of resentment for a long time. Second, the legal system needs to be faster. It took three years to get a conviction. For a family grieving a daughter who was supposed to be a lifesaver (a nurse), that wait is an eternity.
Preeti’s father later sought compensation under the Maharashtra Victim Compensation Scheme. He eventually received some help, but as he famously said, no amount of money brings back a daughter who was the light of the house.
Actionable Steps for Awareness and Advocacy
If this story moves you, don't just close the tab. There are real ways to prevent this from happening to another Preeti.
- Support Regulation: Look into local laws regarding the sale of concentrated acids. Organizations like "Stop Acid Attacks" work globally to restrict over-the-counter sales of these substances.
- Encourage Reporting: If you know someone being stalked or harassed—especially by a neighbor or someone they’ve rejected—report it early. Stalking is often the "pre-game" for violent escalation.
- Donate to Survivors: Many acid attack survivors face a lifetime of surgeries. Groups like the Chhanv Foundation provide medical aid and employment to those who survived, unlike Preeti.
- Stay Informed on Legal Rights: Know the laws in your region regarding victim compensation. In many places, the state is legally obligated to cover the medical costs of such horrific crimes.
Preeti Rathi should have been a nursing lieutenant. She should have been saving lives in a Navy hospital. Instead, she became a symbol of why we need to fight harder against gender-based violence and the easy availability of chemical weapons. Her story is a reminder that the people we think we know—the person living right next door—can sometimes harbor the darkest intentions.
By remembering her name and the specifics of what happened on that platform at Bandra Terminus, we keep the pressure on authorities to ensure that "the girl set on fire on train" is a tragedy that never repeats itself.